Nvestigation of the effects of boron microalloying on the microstructure and properties of high-manganese wear-resistant 110g13l steel
Keywords:
110G13L steel, Hadfield steel, boron, microalloying, austenite grain, heat treatment, hardness, wear resistance, microstructureAbstract
The service performance of high-manganese 110G13L steel is governed by its austenitic microstructure, grain size, and strain-hardening capacity under loading. However, coarse austenite grains in the casting and grain-boundary carbide precipitates may limit wear resistance under low and moderate impact–abrasive loading. This study investigated the effects of boron microalloying at concentrations of 0, 0.002, 0.005, and 0.009% on the microstructure, Brinell hardness, and relative wear resistance of 110G13L steel. Experimental heats were produced in an induction furnace with a capacity of 0.25 t, and boron was introduced using FB17 ferroboron. The specimens were austenitized at 1080 °C for 1.5 h and subsequently water-quenched. Metallographic observations and mechanical property analysis showed that the most favorable results were obtained at a boron content of 0.005%: the average grain size decreased from 178 to 66 μm, hardness increased from 210 to 226 HB, and relative wear resistance reached 1.36. At 0.009% B, although hardness increased to 236 HB, the grain size was 71 μm and relative wear resistance decreased to 1.29. This behavior may be attributed to increased grain-boundary precipitation and reduced microstructural integrity at excessive boron contents. The results identify 0.005% B as the most favorable concentration among those experimentally investigated. A range of 0.003–0.006% is proposed as a provisional engineering range for industrial application, requiring confirmation through additional phase analysis and impact testing
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